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[Draugoth]

According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Bungie is in the midst of shifting around its creative leadership on Marathon, including removing long-time Bungie designer Christopher Barrett from the game director role. IGN learned he is being replaced by former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler, who left Riot Games for Bungie in 2022.

IGN has reached out to Bungie for comment on whether or not Barrett will remain with the company. Bungie has not yet responded to IGN's request for comment, but shortly after we reached out, Ziegler confirmed his appointment as game director on X/Twitter.

"For the last 9 Months I’ve been working on Marathon as the game director," he wrote. "We’re still baking, but I’m excited to share with you more info on the game as we get closer and closer to bringing it to all of you.

 

[geary]

If he worked for 9 months as a Game Director, how was appointed just now?

 

[nial]

If he worked for 9 months as a Game Director, how was appointed just now?

What kind of question is that?

 

[LordOfChaos]

That would seem to make the Sony beign displeased rumor more likely. Wonder how this is going to turn out.

 

[Elios83]

Why something that happened 9 months ago is being reported as being part of something happening now?

 

[Griffon]

If Sony knew what they were doing they would also retool the game into a single player campaign. But I don't see this happening sadly, not this late.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

care to explain Men_In_Boxes?

 

[Kacho]

The game director?! Well, that's usually not a good sign.

The game's direction has shifted somewhat under Ziegler's new leadership, one source says, including moving away from custom player characters in favor of a selectable cast of heroes.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

If Sony knew what they were doing they would also retool the game into a single player campaign. But I don't see this happening sadly, not this late.

let's no go crazy just yet

 

[Salty Popsicle]

If Sony knew what they were doing they would also retool the game into a single player campaign. But I don't see this happening sadly, not this late.

Bungie hasn't made a good single-player campaign since Halo Reach. All they know to do now is piece-meal content with a convoluted story explained through exposition.

 

[pqueue]

burn it all to the ground. time to glass it from orbit.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

 

[Gudji]

 

[Clintizzle]

I'll say it again.

O r g a n i c

 

[Kacho]

Why something that happened 9 months ago is being reported as being part of something happening now?

IGN reached out to Bungie for comment. They didn’t respond. Shortly after the new game director tweeted that out.

 

[Badlucktroll]

 

[Hudo]

Reboot that shit and make it a proper Marathon game, then we can talk. Otherwise, just fuck off, Bungie.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Bungie had a god run. One of the best. Time to shut it down.

 

[Kacho]

care to explain Men_In_Boxes?

 

[LordCBH]

Turning into a bullshit hero shooter. Fuck all the way off.

Sony, finish the takeover, cancel this bullshit, and double down on destiny by having them make a Destiny 3 without the utter dogshit monetization that 2 has.

 

[DR3AM]

Sony's investment is paying off.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

Reboot that shit and make it a proper Marathon game, then we can talk. Otherwise, just fuck off, Bungie.

With the pace Bungie releases content nowadays, a complete reboot would mean we wouldn't get the game until possibly PS6 launch period many years from now.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

Bungie had a god run. One of the best. Time to shut it down.

Wouldn't that be an awful look on Sony though? A veteran studio like Bungie that developed certified bangers franchises like Halo with Microsoft and Destiny with Activision gets shut down by Sony with nothing to show for it.

 

[Salty Popsicle]

I'll say it again.

O r g a n i c

 

[Hudo]

With the pace Bungie releases content nowadays, a complete reboot would mean we wouldn't get the game until possibly PS6 launch period many years from now.

At least they'd have a good game to launch PS6 with, then.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

 

[Dr. Samuel Hayden]

Sony live service plan continues to go swimmingly

 

[ProtoByte]

As much bs as Bungie has done since... well, starting Destiny, I can't help but think Marathon is going to work out to some degree. Could be wrong though.

 

[Gaelyon]

Baking this game is a long run. Almost like a mara..OK okayy I'm leaving...

 

[balls of snow]

They got the Valorant dude in. Lets see if Bungie can turn it around.

 

[Spyxos]

And so the game has been postponed by at least a year.

 

[Negotiator101]

That would seem to make the Sony beign displeased rumor more likely. Wonder how this is going to turn out.

Not good I would imagine.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Turning into a bullshit hero shooter. Fuck all the way off.

Sony, finish the takeover, cancel this bullshit, and double down on destiny by having them make a Destiny 3 without the utter dogshit monetization that 2 has.

Isn’t Destiny a hero shooter? What is wrong with a hero shooter?

 

[proandrad]

Bad guy Sony forcing Bungie to make real games again.

 

[semiconscious]

hey, c'mon, now. I'm sure that they know exactly what they're doing...

 

[Valedix]

What a train-wreck.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

Sony's been making one boneheaded decision after another, taking their position for granted and chasing new monetization strategies and audiences. I miss the passion of mid-PS3 through PS4 era Sony. It seems like they've become largely out of touch with what players actually want.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

NeoGAF on IGN: "Clown level fake journo trash."

NeoGAF when IGN goes after Bungie/Live Service: "A company full of Walter Cronkites. Hand them all the Pulitzers."

 

[Negotiator101]

Bad guy Sony forcing Bungie to make real games again.

Not sure on the details of the contract but doesn't Bungie have complete creative control?

Bungie has said it will remain independently operated and be able to release its future new games and IPs multiplatform as well.

I knew they had some almost unbelievable caveats written into the contract.

 

[Needlecrash]

 

[adamsapple]

 

[DrFigs]

Not sure on the details of the contract but doesn't Bungie have complete creative control?

Bungie has said it will remain independently operated and be able to release its future new games and IPs multiplatform as well.

I knew they had some almost unbelievable caveats written into the contract.

no one knows the details, but it's doubtful they would have total control: they're a sony subsidiary who have to respond to shareholders.

 

[Nydius]

That would seem to make the Sony beign displeased rumor more likely. Wonder how this is going to turn out.

My thoughts? I wouldn't advise anyone to hold their breath for Marathon to actually release. Destiny 2 will probably have it's swan song with Final Shape and then Sony will step in and take over Bungie and restructure the entire damn company. Unless they have something phenomenal to show for Marathon, it'll probably get thrown in the bin and they'll be refocused into making Destiny 3 with Sony's direction on release cadence and monetization.

Just how I see things going.

 

[JaksGhost]

Sony's been making one boneheaded decision after another, taking their position for granted and chasing new monetization strategies and audiences. I miss the passion of mid-PS3 through PS4 era Sony. It seems like they've become largely out of touch with what players actually want.

Largely out of touch with their general audience or just GAF's audience because the numbers are telling a different story.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

Largely out of touch with their general audience or just GAF's audience because the numbers are telling a different story.

They have zero first-party games slated for the entirety of 2024. That is absolutely embarrassing and a sign of piss-poor management. They're not dying in a gutter, but they are definitely in decline. I think the goodwill they developed with core gamers is essentially the momentum they've been running on for a while now, but they've made a ton of poor decisions.

PSVR 2? They sent it out to die.
Bungie purchase? Disastrous.
The Last of Us: Factions? Dead.
Massive layoffs, including from new studios that haven't even put a game out yet.
PS5 sales "underwhelming" and in decline.
It seems like all they make now are third-party cinematic action-adventure games. And some of their recent content, especially with Spider-Man 2, has been polarizing for their core audiences.

They've been running on fumes of goodwill, and those fumes are running out.

 

[Nankatsu]

They're basically on a Marathon to show results now.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

They have zero first-party games slated for the entirety of 2024.

No they don’t. Read their statement closely, they don’t have a major AAA franchise release

 

[Negotiator101]

Largely out of touch with their general audience or just GAF's audience because the numbers are telling a different story.

Well that's not entirely true is it? As you well know the Sony powers that be are not happy with the margins the PS division is pulling in, so you may be happy but Sony aren't.

 

[FeralEcho]

Men_in_Boxes right now after all these Bungie news/rumours

 

[Klayzer]

No they don’t. Read their statement closely, they don’t have a major AAA franchise release

Yeah 22 million in one year is underwhelming/s